Rating: 
Summary: THE NAUGHTY NORA
Review: As in the three books I've read by Meltzer, his hero does some of the stupidest, mindboggling things, and this is no exception. Michael Garrick, a young lawyer in the law offices of the president, falls for the slightly unbalanced (?) daughter, Nora, of the president. One night on a wild fling, she takes him to a gay bar, where they see their boss, Edgar Simon, secretly chatting with someone. They then follow him and discover that he's left $40,000 in an envelope in the woods. Did he seem them? Nora decides to take $10,000 from the envelope, and as they speed off, they are stopped by a policeman who wants to know what Michael's doing with the money.
From then on, a web of intrigue and deception starts, with murders involved, and Michael of course being the prime suspect. Michael's continued faith in Nora left me wondering how dense he could be; and by the end of the book, when all the smoke settles, readers will still ask themselves why. Meltzer paints Nora as a victim of all the attention she gets in her role as the president's daughter; she has no real life. But at the same time, she does so many outrageous things, you have to wonder why Michael sticks with her.
A good, enjoyable read, though. One gets caught up in Michael's plight, no matter how dumb he is, and Meltzer knows the White House and DC.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Intentions, Poor Execution
Review: I like Brad. He tells a good tale. His plots are every bit as compelling as anything out there. But he absolutely makes too much liberal use of exclamation points. It's true! While I understand that the main character's life suddenly becomes caught up in a game of high stakes and political intrigue that is spiraling out of control, I just don't quite buy the way he shouts everything. Really, it's not about exclamation points-- though there are a lot of them. It's about characterization and his characters seem designed to fill a role in the story, rather than becoming living, breathing entities. It's a shame too. This is a good book. I'd recommend it. But, I wish he'd improve his dialogue. It rarely rings true and comes off as contrived.
Rating:
Summary: Fun But Makes You Feel Cheated
Review: Brad Meltzer is a good writer. This book was a very quick read. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting of the book. I thought Meltzer seamlessly wove in interesting background information about life in the nation's capital, work in the political spotlight, and legal issues. Since I am a lawyer, political junkie and D.C. resident, I thought that others might not have had the same reaction, but a quick perusal of other reviews shows that most people enjoyed the book. The plot, unfortunately, is a little less believable. Meltzer tells the story of a young lawyer, Michael, in the White House Counsel's office who goes on a date with the President's daughter, Nora, who has a reputation for wildness, but may or may not have a sweet side begging to get out. Michael and Nora see Michael's boss in a compromising position. However, almost immediately, Michael and Nora are stopped by the D.C. police and have suspicion thrown on them. Michael has to cover for Nora, partly because she already has a bad reputation and partly because the FBI is out to get Nora and the entire First Family. However, as the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that the FBI must be filled with some of the worst cops on the planet if they are unable to pin anything on Nora, the First Family, or close allies of the First Family. And in this age of Matt Drudge and others, even if the FBI could not do the job, others would be able to do it for them. Thus, although I found it easy to read and finish the book, the book left me feeling a bit cheated. Still a fun read though.
Rating:
Summary: Expected a more believable daughter of the president........
Review: Ever since reading Dead Even, I knew I found a gem in Brad Meltzer. It's been several years between books and since I've had time to read him, but now that I have, I'm in love again! Dead Even and Tenth Justice were the other books of his I read, and from what I remember, they knocked my socks off. First Counsel is no exception! Not disappointed at all. As for some of the reviews that thought this book was a bit unrealistic, I don't know...I disagree. Truth is stranger than fiction and we've all seen what our elected officials can do and get away with. If you're looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and in suspense the entire time, I recommend this book. His writing style is not only exciting, but he's a fun read as well, with little jokes and creative writing along the way. Go read this book!!
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